Colin S. Smith's Blog, page 31

2 Realities for this New Year and 1 Response

Happy New Year to everyone! It seems natural that the first day of a new year will prompt us to think of the future. After all, it’s when everyone starts making resolutions and filling in blank calendars.

Christian, let’s not get lost in looking forward when there is so much to look back on as well. As we start this new year, I want to encourage you to remember these two realities, and to respond with this one response.

1.) In Christ, we are a new creation.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Making a resolution for the new year is fun. It’s cultural, relevant, and it brings excitement to the new year. In a culture where we insist on calling ourselves complete—”That’s just who I am” or “That’s just who he is,” it is nice to have some sort of accepted cultural activity in which we can admit to the need for self-improvement.

Of course, if you listen to anyone talk about their New Year’s resolution, they likely talk about it tongue-in-cheek. For the discussion of this year’s resolution brings up the memory of last year’s failed one.

The phenomena of making and failing New Year’s resolutions is interesting to me because it is a study in human inability to cause change.

Why do we often fail our goals? Perhaps it is because they are largely undefined. Perhaps it is because we don’t take them seriously. There may be many reasons. The most significant I can think of is that nothing extraordinary happens between 11:59 p.m. on the evening of December 31 and 12:00 a.m. on January 1.

You are the same person you were just minutes before.

Becoming a Christian

Becoming a Christian is different. Paul explains in 2 Corinthians that something extraordinary happens when a person is in Jesus Christ. Their old self is gone, and they are made new.

You are no longer the man who is prone to bullying. You are no longer the woman who can’t help but lie. That person no longer exists.

2.) As Christians, we rejoice in the new covenant.

Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. (Jeremiah 31:31)

And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. (Luke 22:20)

The new covenant was promised in the Old Testament, and Jesus fulfilled that promise in the New Testament. Read what the author of Hebrews has to say about Jesus and this new covenant:

Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. (Hebrews 9:15)

A few things to note here in this verse, and I am going to work backward. First, Christians have been redeemed from their sins. The old covenant would have had us prepare and sacrifice and offering to the Lord to atone for our sins, but not the new covenant. The new covenant is established and it says we are redeemed. In other words, the old self is gone and the new self is here.

Second, Jesus had to die for this redemption to happen. The new covenant did require sacrifice. But unlike the old covenant which required many sacrifices, the new covenant required one sacrifice to end them all: Jesus’s death on the cross.

Third, the result of Jesus’s death, and the redemption of His people, is that Christians receive the promised eternal inheritance. God has not only atoned for our sins, but He also welcomes us as sons and daughters into His family.

One Response

Sing to him a new song;
   play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts. (Psalm 33:3)

Looking for something new to do this year? Something that will be a little bit of a challenge, that will take discipline, and that will benefit you? Sing to the Lord a new song.

This is a fun imperative because the meaning is refreshed every time you think of it. If you praise the Lord one way, and you want to accomplish the goal again later, you have to do it in a new way.

God’s glory is inexhaustible, and the Bible tells us we will spend eternity worshipping Him (Isaiah 66:23). So, there has to be plenty of room for creativity when it comes to praising God.

New songs of praise are an indicator of Christian who is focused on the Lord, whose mercies “are new every morning” (Lamentations 3:23). And God empowers us in this creative work, as David reveals:

He put a new song in my mouth,
   a song of praise to our God. (Psalm 40:3)

Newness—new life, new covenant, new songs—come from God. Let us continually worship Him this new year!

Photo Credit: Unsplash

Top 10 Articles from the Past Decade

We are about the enter not only a new year but also a new decade. I don’t think it’s cheesy or cliche in the slightest to use these markers as a time to look back, and I’m excited to share with you all our top 10 articles from the past 10 years.

I hope these articles, ordered by the year they first appeared, are an encouragement to you!

The Meaning of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ (Kevin Halloran, 2013)

What is the meaning and significance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ? Why is it something that has been so celebrated throughout history?

Four Influential Women of the Bible, And What They Teach Us (Linda Green, 2014)

God is not a God of confusion. He leads all who look to him for wisdom, as opposed to the world around us. God blesses those who trust his faithfulness even when our own faith falls short.

15 Beautiful Benefits of the Word of God (Kristen Wetherell, 2014)

Come to the sure and steady Word because it is the only firm foundation upon which we can stand. Nothing else compares, and nothing else assures our hearts like Scripture does. Nothing else points us to Christ like the Word, itself.

Four Ways Our Identity in Christ Changes Our Lives (Sarah Walton, 2015)

Knowing our identity is in Christ is one thing, but understanding how that practically changes the way we live is another. Here are a few ways that understanding our true identity in Christ can greatly impact the way we live our lives.

15 Powerful Prayers from the Bible (Colton Tatham, 2015)

How do you pray? Prayers that are rooted in Scripture are guaranteed to be aligned with the heart of God. Here is a list of 15 powerful prayers from the Bible that you can use word-for-word or to spur on your own prayers:

Bible Q&A: Who Really Has the Authority on Earth, God or Satan? (Tim Augustyn, 2016)

If you think about the word “authority,” it comes from the word “author.” We know from Genesis 1 that God is the Author of the entire universe (including Satan himself)! Remember, Satan is an angel, created by God. Satan is not divine. He is not God’s equal. The closest Satan comes to being an author is by twisting what God has done, and turning it into sin. He’s the author of lies.

Seven Biblical Reasons Why Singing Matters (Tom Olson, 2017)

Have you ever wondered why God desires for his people to sing? What role should singing play in the life of a Christian? What is it about worshiping through song that is so important to God?

You may not know it, but God has already answered these questions in the Bible.

Will We Know Each Other in Heaven? (Pastor Colin Smith, 2017)

Let me offer seven Scriptures that I have used to help people who wonder if they will be reunited with their believing loved ones in heaven. All of these point to our knowing one another in the resurrection, and some of them point to believers knowing one another immediately after death.

Seven Ways Christ is the Good Shephard (Pastor Colin Smith, 2018)

Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11, 14). The relationship of believers with Jesus Christ is that of sheep to a shepherd. The Lord is our shepherd; we are his flock. But what does that mean?

Three Biblical Prayers to Say for Your Parents (Chelsea Stanley, 2019)

I felt the Holy Spirit convicting me. How often do I pray for my own parents? I thought. The answer: not often enough.  

Is Your New Year’s Resolution Biblical?

As a copywriter, one of my tasks is to write marketing materials. Something I’ve learned writing ads, emails, and more is that every goal has another goal behind it. This is called a motive.

You may think your goal is to lose weight this year. But
what’s the goal behind losing weight? Your motive may have to do with
self-image, your health, or having the energy to go on an adventure you’ve
always dreamed about.

New Year’s Resolutions tend to get many of us thinking about
goals, but our motives aren’t typically the focus. 

God’s attention to motives suggests we might be approaching our resolutions backward:

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” (Colossians 3:23).

How do we purify our motives as we set New Year’s Resolutions
this year?

1. Watch Out for Selfish Ambition

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3-4)

Ambition isn’t unbiblical. God Himself makes plans and has
goals. Many people whose stories are commended in the Bible set out to
accomplish things. Jesus once disappointed an admiring crowd because He had an
ambition, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns
as well; for I was sent for this purpose” (Luke 4:43).

God warns us in our ambitions, though: the heart is deceitful above all things and He searches our very hearts and minds (Jeremiah 17:9–10). It isn’t hard for us to do right things for the wrong reasons—or wrong things for the right reasons. Your goal might be good, but your motive might have more to do with your own glory than God’s. It may also be more focused on you than on serving others, which is another one of God’s priorities.

Ask God to purify your heart as you set resolutions this
year. Consider if your motives line up with God’s purposes.

2. Grow in Dependence

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.” (Proverbs 3:5-7)

One thing that sets a believer’s life apart is growing dependence. Sin in our hearts and in the world makes self-sufficiency seem like a sign of maturity and accomplishment. God, meanwhile, commends those who grow in reliance on Him.

Jesus sets the example for this as He does nothing apart from
the will of God. He commands us to do the same: “Whoever abides in me and I in
him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing”
(John 15:5).

Apart from Jesus you can do nothing of real value. You might accomplish something temporal, but all the
elements which build into eternity will be absent. Reaching your goals won’t
lead to authentic worship. The process won’t show you the goodness of God. If
you haven’t prayed, you won’t have answered prayers.

If you’re going to pour effort into a resolution, wouldn’t
you like it be one with lasting effect? Tackle “whatever you do” leaning on
God’s understanding, laid out in His Word. Acknowledge Him in prayer and
praise.

3. Consider Good Examples

As you weigh your motives in regards to resolutions, examples
of God’s priorities might help.

Read Colossians 1:9-14 or Ephesians 1:15-23. What
did Paul pray for those he loved? His prayer requests offer ample examples of
priorities we might resolve to seek ourselves or for our loved ones.Reread James, an
action-driven, goal-oriented letter about faith having effect. For example,
James offers plenty of wisdom on bridling the tongue. Read Philippians 4:8 for examples
of the kinds of things Christ wants us to focus on.Read the Sermon on the Mount, starting in Matthew 5, to
review several of Christ’s calls to action for those who would follow Him, like
purity, peace, and honesty.



4. Consider What’s Fruitful

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

Have you ever noticed how antithetical the fruit of the
Spirit is to many modern goal-setting strategies? Current culture caters to our
sinful natures. Forget patience, there are ten million ways to change your life
in less than five minutes. Drop the idea of self-control: you can have your
cake and eat it, sans calories, too.

The results of worldly resolutions are fragile, fickle things
in comparison to the treasures of eternity. Thankfully, we can lay up our
treasure in heaven even as we live our very-real lives on earth (Matthew
16:19-21). Our earthly accomplishments can also be investments in what
endures forever.

Set your resolutions with the goal of being fruitful. Ask: how will this open my heart to the work of the Spirit so He might produce fruit in me? How will this testify to others about Christ?

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Seven Opportunities for Manifesting Mercy

“Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’” (Matthew 9:13)

Think of the difference that one teacher who is merciful can make in a school. Think of the difference in a business or a church or a family when there’s one person with a tender heart who cares and acts for the good of others. 

What would this look like if we all did the same? Where and how can I be merciful? 

Seven Opportunities for Manifesting Mercy 



1. Material needs  

If anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? (1 John 3:17)

The Good Samaritan opened his heart to a person in need and did something to help him. Sinclair Ferguson says: 

Mercy is getting down on your hands and knees and doing something to restore dignity to someone whose life has been broken by sin.

Then Ferguson says: 

[The Samaritan] did not deal with the cause of the man’s need by chasing the robbers… [and] he did not complain about the failure of society to meet the man’s need… The Samaritan addressed the immediate need set before him and did what he could to bring relief. 

2. Spiritual struggles  

Have mercy on those who doubt. (Jude 22)  

God calls us to have a tender heart towards brothers and sisters in Christ who are struggling in their faith. Have mercy on those who doubt. 

I once heard Warren Wiersbe say if he could have his time over again, he would “do more to encourage God’s people.” Lord, save me from being hard and demanding. Make me tender towards others, sensitive to the loads they bear, and faithful in bringing help, as Christ is faithful to me.

Christ does not break the bruised reed. He will not snuff out a smoldering wick. David captures the mercy of God when he says, “Your gentleness has made me great” (Psalm 18:35). 

3. Embarrassing failures 

Love covers a multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:8)  

Some things should not be covered over. Peter speaks about sins, not crimes, and there’s an important difference. But there are a multitude of sins a merciful person will be glad to cover over. Spurgeon says: 

I recommend you, brothers and sisters, always to have one blind eye and one deaf ear.  

Notice its only one! In this sinful world you need to have one eye that sees and one ear that hears. But Spurgeon says: 

My blind eye is the best eye that I have, and my deaf ear is the best ear I have.

A hard heart always makes a big deal of another person’s failure, but a tender heart, a merciful heart, often uses the blind eye and the deaf ear! 

God does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. He is merciful. And love covers over a multitude of sins.  

4. Slanderous gossip 

Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable… think about these things. (Philippians 4:8) 

Satan is the father of lies. He is always manufacturing rumors that would make a person think less of someone who is their brother or sister in Christ. Some Christians seem to be adept at helping him! 

Remember this: It is as bad to believe a lie as it as to tell one. It is as bad to repeat a lie as it is to invent one. There is a harshness in our culture (and too often it is creeping into the church) that is quick to believe the worst about a person, and slow to think the best. 

It is so easy to slide into making much of other people’s failings and little of their strengths and virtues. A merciful person goes the other way—he or she will make more of a person’s virtues than their failings. A merciful person will close his ears to slander unless he’s compelled to do otherwise. 

5. Unreasonable expectations 

God knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. (Psalm 103:14) 

This is one of my favorite verses in the Old Testament. I am so grateful for it. God remembers that I am dust. 

I must remember this in relation to others. And, I must not set unreasonable expectations of my spouse, my children, or of others who work with me. I must learn not to be surprised by discouragements and disappointments. 

And, I must get beyond thinking that a person will be a consistent paragon of virtue simply because he or she is a Christian. I must think more about the weights and burdens others may carry, and the strength of temptations they may face. And I must remember, as God remembers about me, that they are dust.

6. Personal injuries 

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32) 

If someone has hurt you, injured you, or wronged you in some way, don’t be surprised if at some point God puts you in a position when you have the opportunity to get your own back. 

That’s what happened to Joseph. His brothers wronged him terribly, but God blessed him. He became the Prime Minister of Egypt, next to Pharoah himself. One day, the brothers needed food and they came to Egypt, and Joseph had them in his power. 

Now, what you do at that moment will be the most revealing thing about you. Joseph forgave his brothers. That’s what mercy does. 

7. Lost souls  

Save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear. (Jude 23) 

If you have mercy in your heart, you will speak to Christ about lost people and you will speak to lost people about Christ. Augustine said: 

If I weep for the body from which the soul is departed. How should I weep for the soul from which God is departed.  

A tender heart that cares and acts for the good of others will care deeply about people without Christ, and will act by sharing the gospel with them. 

Share Christ 

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23)

This is a Christ to whom you can come. And this is a Christ in whom you can trust. His mercy is not for a moment, but for a lifetime. 

Photo Credit: Unsplash 

Five Great Articles from 2019

As we approach the end of the year, I wanted to look back on some great articles published on Unlocking the Bible this year. I am so thankful for every writer who has contributed this year, and I’m thankful for all our readers who support us!

7 Realities Revealed in the Book of Revelation (Brad Wetherell)

The purpose of this post is not to engage (let alone settle) the common debates regarding Revelation. My goal is more simple and more general:

I want to show you some of the broad themes of Revelation that every Christian can agree upon, and every Christian needs to know. And, I want to encourage you to read and value Revelation.

When the Miracle You Prayed For Doesn’t Come (Lianna Davis)

He knows why He does not do; you and I might not understand now, in this present life, His wisdom. But could it be that He is doing beyond what we ask? Could it be that what He is working on our behalf is more than what we think? We do not grasp future glory; we cannot fathom what earthly sufferings are achieving for us (2 Corinthians 4:17). We don’t comprehend, but we can trust.

Three Biblical Prayers to Say for Your Parents (Chelsea Stanley)

We may look at our parents and think that their lives are relatively settled. In actuality, the “final quarter” can be filled with uncertainty. Our parents might be anxious about their health, financial investments, or their ability to care for aging loved ones. 

Using Scripture to Focus Your Prayers (Angie Ryg)

With each prayer, I find myself drawing closer to God. With each scripture I read, it is like a rush of life-giving breath that reminds me that I am not just on earth “doing the best I can,” but I serve a powerful God who cares deeply for me.   

He is the Lord of my life. He is Lord of all. Each Truth and Promise comes from the One who loves me enough to lay down His life for me. In this knowledge, I know that my prayers are readying me for an eternity of worshipping Jesus.

A Quiet Life Speaks for Christ (Grayson Pope)

The point of living a quiet life to be a good witness for Christ. Staying calm, minding your own business, and doing your own job is all about evangelism. And your witness is connected to your integrity. 

20+ Encouraging Christmas Quotes

Merry Christmas! Below is a compilation of some of my favorite Christmas quotes about what this season means for us as Christians. Enjoy!

The Incarnation

“The Almighty appeared on earth as a helpless human baby, needing to be fed and changed and taught to talk like any other child. The more you think about it, the more staggering it gets. Nothing in fiction is so fantastic as this truth of the Incarnation.” ― J.I. Packer

“We must always remember that union with Christ is possible because of the Son’s descent to earth, not because of our ascent into heaven. The basis of our union with Christ is Christ’s union with us in the incarnation. He became one with us so that we might become one with Him.” ― Kevin DeYoung

“No priest, no theologian stood at the manger of Bethlehem. And yet all Christian theology has its origin in the wonder of all wonders: that God became human. Holy theology arises from knees bent before the mystery of the divine child in the stable. Without the holy night, there is no theology.” ― Dietrich Bonhoeffer

“The Son of God became a man to enable men to become the sons of God.” ― C.S. Lewis

“The principal reason for the virgin birth was so that the entry of God into human flesh might be by divine initiative. It is not by any human act or at any human initiative that salvation comes to us. It is divinely initiated. Man does nothing. Mary did nothing (other than to submit to what God would do). Joseph did nothing. God did it all.” ― Sam Storms

“He was created by a mother whom He created. He was carried by hands that He formed. He cried in the manger in wordless infancy, He the Word, without whom all human eloquence is mute.” ― Augustine

Emmanuel: God with Us

“O think, that he who was master of all heaven’s majesty came down to be the victim of all man’s misery!” ― C.H. Spurgeon

“It is by far the most amazing miracle in the whole Bible – far more amazing than the resurrection and more amazing than the creation of the universe. The fact that the infinite, omnipotent, eternal Son of God could become man and join Himself to a human nature forever, so that infinite God became one person with finite man, will remain for eternity the most profound miracle and the most profound mystery in all the universe.” ― Wayne Grudem

“Oh, what love! Christ would not intrust our redemption to angels, to millions of angels; but he would come himself, and in person suffer; he would not give a low and a base price for us clay.” ― Samuel Rutherford

“Once we have seen Him in a stable, we can never be sure where He will appear or to what lengths he will go or to what ludicrous depths of self-humiliation He will descend in His wild pursuit of men.” ― Frederick Buechner

“Infinite, and an infant. Eternal, and yet born of a woman. Almighty, and yet hanging on a woman’s breast. Supporting a universe, and yet needing to be carried in a mother’s arms. King of angels, and yet the reputed son of Joseph. Heir of all things, and yet the carpenter’s despised son.” ― C.H. Spurgeon

“God hath long contended with a stubborn world, and thrown down many a blessing upon them; and when all his other gifts could not prevail, He at last made a gift of Himself.” ― Henry Scougal

“What a paradox that a babe in a manger should be called mighty!”― Warren Wiersbe

“Jesus’ coming is the final and unanswerable proof that God cares.” ― William Barclay

“Man was added to Him, God not lost to Him; He emptied Himself not by losing what He was, but by taking to Him what He was not.” ― Augustine

The Weary World Rejoices

“Who can add to Christmas? The perfect motive is that God so loved the world. The perfect gift is that He gave His only Son. The only requirement is to believe in Him. The reward of faith is that you shall have everlasting life.” ― Corrie Ten Boom

“Don’t leave Christmas in the abstract. Your sin. Your conflict with the Devil. Your victory. He came for this.” ― John Piper

“The joy of God has gone through the poverty of the manger and the distress of the cross; therefore it is invincible and irrefutable.” ― Dietrich Bonhoeffer

“The Christmas message is that there is hope for a ruined humanity–hope of pardon, hope of peace with God, hope of glory–because at the Father’s will Jesus became poor, and was born in a stable so that thirty years later He might hang on a cross.” ― J.I. Packer

“And when the Lord Jesus has become your peace, remember, there is another thing: good will towards men. Do not try to keep Christmas without good will towards men.” ― C.H. Spurgeon

“Who among us will celebrate Christmas correctly? Whoever finally lays down all power, all honor, all reputation, all vanity, all arrogance, all individualism beside the manger; whoever remains lowly and lets God alone be high; whoever looks at the child in the manger and sees the glory of God precisely in his lowliness.” ― Dietrich Bonhoeffer

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The Painful Consequence of Anger Towards Jesus

He came to his own and his own received him not. (John 1:11, NIV)

Jesus left Nazareth and He never returned. Poor Nazareth! No mighty works were done there. No peace with God was found there. The people who were angry with Jesus spent the rest of their lives without him.

Think about the people in this town. Their debts to God were not canceled. Their lost inheritance was not restored. They remained in the grip of their own hostility—angry with a distant Jesus.

That’s the Nazareth story. And it is the story of our world. You can’t make sense of the Christmas story or of our world today without this piece: “He came to his own and his own received him not.”

Growing levels of anger are a defining mark of our fragile culture. You see it is our politics, on our roads, and in our courts. You see it between children and parents, wives and husbands.

A lady in our congregation spoke to me during our series on the Beatitudes. She had found the message on meekness helpful and she said, “I lead a women’s Bible study, and there is so much anger.”

Once in a while the hostility that lies in the human heart erupts in a spree of violence, as it did on Friday, and we all say, “How in the world could that have happened?”

The sinful nature is hostile toward God, and if you are hostile to God you will be hostile to others as well. Only when we have peace with God can we begin to experience the peace of God.

The people who became so angry with Jesus were people who knew Him well. Some of you are students. Your parents bring you along to church.

They love Christ but you don’t. In your heart you are angry with God.  Your heart is hostile towards Him. If you follow your present path, your whole life, and your whole eternity will be outside the blessing of God.

Some of you are parents. You have a son or a daughter, or a spouse who loves Christ. But you don’t. In your heart you are angry with God. Your heart is hostile towards Him. If you follow your present path, your whole life and your whole eternity will be outside the blessing of God.

Christmas comes and Christmas goes, and you remain resistant to the claim of Jesus Christ on your life. There is a real consequence to this.

Christ came to Nazareth, but no mighty works were done there. Don’t let it that be said of your life!

The Only Cure for Anger Towards Jesus

The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes. (Matthew 21:42, NIV)

Jesus is speaking about Himself. He is the rejected stone, and He speaks of something that God would do which would be marvelous in the eyes of faithful people: The rejected stone would become the cornerstone.

This rejected Jesus, hunted in Bethlehem, hounded out of Nazareth, ejected from the Gerasenes, threatened with stoning in Jerusalem by the officials and by ordinary people, and ultimately crucified outside the city.

This Jesus is the centerpiece of all the redeeming work of God. God has exalted this rejected Jesus to the highest place. The only cure for anger towards Jesus is to make the stone over which you have stumbled the cornerstone of your life.

That means that you have to repent. You have to do a complete 180 with regard to Jesus, instead of taking offense at what Jesus says about His unique glory, your desperate need, and the sovereign freedom of God. Make these truths, over which you once stumbled, the cornerstone of your life.

Once you resented the unique claims of Jesus Christ. Now you bow before him like Thomas and confess Him as your Lord and Savior.

Once you took offense at being called a “sinner.” Now you confess your need and ask Him to cleanse you and give you peace with God.

Once you resented God’s claim over your life. “It’s my life!” Now you yield that life gladly and freely to Him, as you ask Him to save you and redeem you.

The stone you once rejected becomes the cornerstone of your life: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame” (Romans 9:33, NIV).

Christmas tells us that God has come into the world in Jesus Christ. He is the stumbling stone to some; He is the cornerstone to others. Either way, the life and the eternity of every person is ultimately determined by our response to Him.

He came to His own and His own received Him not, but to as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to be called children of God. (John 1:11-12, NIV)

Photo Credit: Unsplash



This article was adapted from Pastor Colin’s sermon, “Hidden Hatred in the Human Heart,” from his series Why Jesus Came.

10 “Even Though” Moments in Scripture

All throughout scripture, God seems to do the unthinkable, with
the most unlikely people, in the most impossible of circumstances. There tends
to be a pattern that God tells us in His Word: “Even though *this
circumstance*, my purpose is accomplished.”

Look at just a few of the many of these from Scripture in both the Old and New Testaments and go read the passages for yourself! He is the same God today and is working within us with this same power.

Here are 10 “Even Though” moments:

1. Even though Abraham and Sarah were far beyond childbearing age, God gave them a child to fulfill His promise. (Genesis 18:13-14, 21:1-2)

One of the promises of
God to Abraham was that all the nations would be blessed through him. How could
all the nations be blessed through him if he had no children? But God promised—so
even though this seems impossible to us, it is not to God.

Scripture tells us that
Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born. How remarkable it is that God
rules over our difficult circumstances and makes His way.

Trusting God is so tough
when we are in a waiting season. When you are tempted to give up while you
wait, look at the examples in scripture of God’s faithfulness to deliver, even
when the circumstance seems to point otherwise.

2. Even though building an ark seemed odd, it saved Noah’s family and God’s faithfulness was revealed. (Genesis 6:11-14; 7:22, 6-7)

God told Noah to build an
ark because a flood was coming to destroy the people and the earth. Noah obeyed
him. All the people around him must have thought Noah was crazy for building an
ark big enough for animals of every kind to take shelter in, for many years!

Don’t you think after a
while of building and waiting Noah would have questioned if he had heard God
correctly? Doubts and disbelief must have crept into Noah’s mind to try and get
him to stop obeying God.

But by God’s grace, Noah
endured and in the end God was right about the flood He was bringing, and He
saved Noah and his family just like He promised.

3. Even though all of Job’s possessions and health were taken, he stayed faithful to God. (Job 1:13-22)

Job was faithful to God
and served Him. Even so, he suffered tremendously. Job knew though that his
suffering was not worth comparing to the blessing of following God. What an
example this is, to serve and stand firm in our faith in Jesus Christ no matter
the circumstance or suffering.

Our earthly life is going
to fly by quicker than we can imagine, and what is eternal will last. This
present suffering is going to be a blink of an eye when compared to the glory
of being with Jesus Christ in heaven forevermore.

4. Even though David was small and unlikely, he slayed the giant. (1 Samuel 17:49-50)

David was put up against
a giant Philistine. Why would God call small David with no sword in his hand? Surely,
he would be crushed in a moment! Surely David must have felt weak, inadequate,
and powerless, but Scripture tells us that David killed this giant with only a
sling and a stone. David may have been weak, but God sure was strong within
him.

God’s strength resides in us when we feel weak against our sin. Jesus Christ became a man to experience all that we do as humans – therefore His strength is sufficient to strengthen us because he knows our battle.

5. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.”(Psalm 23:4)

When we walk through
trials and pain, we don’t need to fear. God is with us! He is our shepherd and
He is the Lord. His sovereignty guards us. We are no longer bound to fear and
chained to despair in the darkness; but we have Jesus who is our light and
salvation, and He will strengthen us through whatever we are waking through no
matter how great the pain is.

6. Even though there were five loaves of bread and two fish, 5,000 men and their families ate their full with food leftover. (John 6:1-14)

When the disciples saw
the crowds and their lack of resources, they were overwhelmed and knew there
was an unsolvable problem. But when they looked to Jesus, the problem was
solved and the Lord provided. There is never too large of a lack that God
cannot provide.

But similar to before,
God will be glorified whether that means He provides, or He doesn’t intervene.
If He doesn’t intervene, it doesn’t mean that he can’t, but that it’s not in
line with his will. Know that He is able. He is infinite in resources, while we
are finite in ours.

7. Even though Jesus was put to death, He was raised from the dead. (Matthew 28:6)

God’s power is able to do
the unthinkable—raise the Lord Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah from the dead
to fulfill His ultimate plan from before the foundation of the world. This is
the God we serve!

8. Even though Paul was a persecutor of Jesus and the church, his heart was turned and God saved him. (Acts 9:1-19)

God can change any heart,
even the hardest stone heart that you know of. The beauty of the Gospel is that
Jesus is the only savior of sinners and He is all-powerful, not incapable to
save because the coldness of one’s heart. His power is able to turn the greatest
wretch into a radical lover of Jesus.

Do not despair over an
unbeliever who seems the farthest away from the Lord anyone could be, but
instead pray with confidence that God can change their heart; and rest in the
peace of God’s sovereignty over their life. It is not your job or their job to
save, but the Lord’s.

9. Even though Peter was in chains and bound by guards, he miraculously escaped from the prison. (Acts 12:5-19)

This striking miracle
could simply only be done by the Lord. Peter had an impossible jail
circumstance; but God is not subjected to the soldiers bound to Peter with two
chains, nor the sentries guarding the prison door, nor an iron gate!

Praise God that our
seemingly impossible circumstances are no match for our great God. In your
seemingly impossible circumstances, God is able to change them. However, He may
not change them. But the reality that He can change them should
encourage your heart in this way: if He is not intervening, then you know it is
for your ultimate good that you must persevere through this trial.

If he does change your
situation, then you know that was more glorifying to Him, but if He doesn’t,
then that is more glorifying to Him. Trust Him.

10. Even though we are sinners, God came to save us. (Romans 5:8)

The most wonderful news
is that while we are still sinners, Christ died for us. What grace this is! We
do not deserve this gift, yet God gives it to the most unlikely. If He can save
you, he most certainly will keep you; and if he will keep you, He will most
certainly give you strength as you follow Him. He will use your life to glorify
Him.

What is the commonality in all these things? The power of God. And, God works through our obedience: our obedience to trust him within the most impossible circumstances, the obedience to rely on him even in the toughest of times, and the obedience to worship him even when the most evil and unexplainable things happen to us. In all these things, we can trust in him.

Brothers and sisters, cling to Christ today. What circumstance in your life must you say “Even though …  I will choose to obey God”? What act of obedience is God calling you to do in regards to that circumstance? Trust, wait, go, worship, seek, give, submit? Seek God today through His Word and in prayer, and wait upon him. He. Is. Faithful.

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3 Gifts that Become Yours through Faith in Christ

In the Bible’s terms, when you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, faith forms the bond of a living union in which Christ becomes yours and you become His. You are “in Christ” and Christ is in you. Here are three gifts that become yours through faith in Christ:

1. Justification (legal): In Christ, God drops all charges against you.

Justification means that God drops all charges against you. The reason, Christian, that you will enter heaven, is not that you are without sin, because none of us ever is. The reason that Christians enter heaven is that God does not charge their sins against them. Why? 

God charges our sins to the account of Jesus, in whom these sins were judged, punished, and atoned for through his sacrifice as our sin-bearer on the cross: “The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6).

In Christ your debts have been paid in full, so that they will not and cannot be charged to you on the last day. That is the spectacular truth of justification: “Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).

Christians enter heaven on the basis of mercy, but also on the basis of justice! A just God cannot demand payment for sins that have been atoned for! A just God will not call in a debt that has already been paid. 

Justification is a marvelous legal gift—our confidence before God in life, death and on entering into heaven: My salvation rests on the character of God who is just, and it is sealed by the blood of Christ, my Savior! 

2. Forgiveness (relational): In Christ, God reconciles you to Himself.

When God justifies, He also forgives, and reconciles us to Himself in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:18). He never does one without the other. This is a spectacular blessing. Think about it: You were an enemy of God; now He makes you His friend! 

We looked at this marvelous subject of forgiveness in the last Beatitude: “Blessed are the merciful,” and we saw that God forgives when repentance begins. Why? Forgiveness is relational—it is both given and received. 

Love can be one-sided. You can love a person who does not love you back. When Jesus says, “Love your enemies,” it is a one-sided thing. Your enemies certainly don’t love you! 

Love can be one-directional, but forgiveness is always relational. Two parties are involved. One forgives; the other is forgiven, and out of this a relationship is restored. 

This is the grace of God to you in Jesus Christ: He forgives all your sins. He puts them out of mind, out of sight. To all who are in Christ, he says, “Your sins and your iniquities I will remember no more” (Hebrews 10:17).  

The prophet Micah puts it this way: “You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:19). And as an old preacher once said about this: “God casts our sins into the depth of the sea, and he puts up a sign that says, ‘No Fishing!’” 

iii. Cleansing (personal): In Christ, God washes your heart and your life.

My car is filthy and needs to be washed. I’ll get to the carwash on Monday, but by next weekend, the same car will need washing again. 

The car picks up dirt from the road, and it needs to be washed on a regular basis. I have never seen a car of which this is not true. Even if your car is a super expensive one, it still needs to be washed. 

It’s the same with clothes. You can buy clothes that don’t need to be ironed. But have you ever seen clothes that don’t need to be washed? No! Every week a new pile of dirty clothes is ready to be thrown in the wash. 

Every morning I get in the shower. Why do I do that? I haven’t been wading through a swamp or rolling in the mud. I’ve just been asleep for the night, but when I wake up, I’m aware of my need to be washed. 

Justification happens once. It is a legal standing before God. Forgiveness or reconciliation with God happens once. It does not need to be repeated. What happens when I sin? In Christ, I am a friend of God, and I do not become His enemy every time I sin. 

But cleansing is different. I need this on a continuing basis. However much I progress in the Christian life, I never get beyond the need of it. 

Now, I want to remind you of a well-known verse of the Bible that brings together the three priceless gifts of justification, forgiveness and cleansing: 

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9) 

In Christ, God justifies. In Christ, He forgives. And in Christ, He cleanses. 

Christ offers more than forgiveness!

Christ came not only to justify but also to sanctify a people for himself. He came, not only to forgive your sins, but to make you holy, because without holiness no one will see the Lord. 

The Bible says that God saves us “according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:4-5). 

Christ is able to wash your mind. He is able to regenerate your heart. That means he is able to give you new inclinations, a new disposition, a new interest, new affections, new energy, new life! 

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5 Key Connections: Christmas 2019

Here are five great passages from recent Christian articles around the web, which are all in some way connected to this Christmas season. I hope you enjoy these excerpts, and I pray you have a wonderful Christmas this year.

A Weary Mom Rejoices (Melissa Edgington, Your Mom Has a Blog)

I’m reminded that Scripture teaches that when we know Christ sin no longer has dominion over us. There is no sin that the Holy Spirit can’t handle. There is no devastation or spiritual destruction or emotional pain that is too big for the power of God. This world is no match for the King of Kings.

How Christmas Cuts History in Half (John Piper, Crossway)

What we anticipate in the future at Christ’s second coming is not something completely new but rather the consummation of the blessings we already enjoy, because the promises have begun to be fulfilled in our lives.

Kids Talk: What Does Home Alone Teach Us about Christmas? (Dan Green, Blog of Dan)

God’s love for us is so great that He goes to great lengths to get us back.  He sends His Son to earth to be born as a man so He can die as man in our place to bring us back to God, to reconcile us and restore to us the relationship that sin destroyed if we trust in Jesus.

Christmas from the Angels’ Point of View (Daniel Darling, Core Christianity)

This is not a generic “belief” as in the holiday classics that urge us to “just believe” in some nebulous Christmas spirit. This is to allow the Spirit to open our eyes to what is unseen, like Elisha’s servant who suddenly saw the previously invisible army of God that surrounded them (2 Kings 6:17). To believe is to read the Scripture and hear the distant sound of angel voices. To believe is to fall on our knees in adoration. It is to follow the Creator who first gave us life.  

Help for Getting In the Christmas Spirit (Bethany McIlrath, Unlocking the Bible)

“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). Drawing near to God is an act of worship, and a wonderful first step when we need His help being worshipful. Don’t be afraid to ask God’s help with worship or awe.